MLB – Major League Baseball
Last Night
Chicago Cubs 7, Washington Nationals 6
Tigers and White Sox were off
Cubs 7, Nationals 6 – Cody Bellinger knocks in 3 as Cubs beat Nationals 7-6 to stave off postseason elimination
Seiya Suzuki homered, Cody Bellinger drove in three runs and the Chicago Cubs topped the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Thursday night to stave off elimination from the postseason. Joey Gallo hit a three-run home run for Washington, which has dropped four straight. The Cubs trailed 6-5 after Gallo’s shot in the sixth but took the lead for good with a two-run seventh. Bellinger singled in the tying run and Isaac Paredes came up next and added an RBI groundout. Dansby Swanson had three hits and scored four times for Chicago, which remained seven games out of the final NL wild card berth with nine to play after New York and Arizona won earlier Thursday.
Today
Washington (Williams 5-0) at Chicago Cubs (Taillon 10-8), 2:20 p.m.
Detroit (TBD) at Baltimore (Burnes 14-8), 7:05 p.m. 98.3 The Coast 6:40
Chicago White Sox (Crochet 6-12) at San Diego (Musgrove 6-5), 9:40 p.m.
MLB – Shohei Ohtani surpasses 50-50 milestone with a 3-homer, 2-steal game
Shohei Ohtani has become the first major league player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season. He did it by going deep three times and swiping two bags on Thursday against the Miami Marlins. Ohtani hit is 49th homer in the sixth inning, his 50th in the seventh and his 51st in the ninth. He finished 6 for 6 with 10 RBIs while becoming the first player in big league history to hit three homers and steal two bases in a game. The Japanese superstar reached the second deck in right-center on two of his three homers at LoanDepot Park.
NFL – National Football League – Week 3
Last Night
New York Jets 24, New England Patriots 3
Jets 24, Patriots 3 – Rodgers sparkles in his first home start since his injury to lead Jets to 24-3 win over Pats
Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes in a superb homecoming performance, New York’s defense was dominant and the Jets rolled to a 24-3 victory over the New England Patriots. Rodgers started his first game at MetLife Stadium since leaving just over a year ago with a torn Achilles tendon in New York’s opener. He finished 27 of 35 for 281 yards with TD tosses to Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard as the Jets ended an eight-game home losing streak against the Patriots. Breece Hall ran for a score for New York. Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in April, made his NFL debut late in the game.
Sunday
Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m.
Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. Rock 107 WIRX 3:20
NFL – Lions have had recent success vs. Cards, but this Arizona team looks much better
Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions need a bounce-back win after last week’s disappointing loss to the Tampa Bay Bucs. Looking at recent history, the Arizona Cardinals have usually provided that opportunity. The Lions go on the road for the first time this season to face the Cardinals on Sunday. Detroit has a 4-0-1 record against Arizona since 2017 while Goff has an 8-1 mark against the franchise going back to his time with the Rams. This version of the Cardinals might make that task difficult. Arizona is coming off one of its best games in years, beating the Rams 41-10.
NFL – Williams and Richardson hoping to find their footing as Colts and Bears square off
Quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Anthony Richardson started their NFL careers in similar situations. Both entered the league with the same label — elite athletes with big arms. Now, though, both are struggling. Williams has the second-fewest yards passing of any quarterback who has made two starts this season. Richardson has the lowest completion percentage of any NFL starter. And on Sunday when Williams’ Chicago Bears face Richardson’s Indianapolis Colts, both will be trying to get their season — and their teams — back on track.
WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association
Last Night
Connecticut Sun 87, Chicago Sky 54
Washington Mystics 92, Indiana Fever 91
End WNBA Regular Season
Sun 87, Sky 54 – Sun clinch No. 3 playoff seed and eliminate Sky from contention with 87-54 rout
Tyasha Harris scored 15 points, DiJonai Carrington had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and the Connecticut Sun erupted in the third quarter to throttle the Chicago Sky 87-54. With the win in their regular-season finale, the Sun (28-12) clinched the No. 3 seed in the playoffs and will face sixth-seed Indiana in the first round starting Sunday. The loss eliminated Chicago (13-27) from playoff contention. Dana Evans scored 14 points for the Sky, Isabelle Harrison had 13 and Kaela Davis added 12. The Sun outscored the Sky 23-6 in the third to pull away.
Mystics 92, Fever 91 – Washington closes out season with 92-91 win over Indiana
Sika Kone scored a career-high 20 points and the Washington Mystics pulled out a 92-91 win over Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Thursday night before a record crowd of 20,711, the largest in WNBA history. The Mystics began the game with a shot at the final playoff spot but that hope ended when the Atlanta Dream won at New York to secure the No. 8 seed. Ariel Atkins and Emily Engstler scored 17 points apiece for Washington. Indiana had already locked up the No. 6 seed and pulled its starters midway through the second half. Clark had eight points, eight assists and five rebounds in 20 minutes.
Sunday
WNBA Playoffs – Round 1 (Best of 3)
Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun, 3:00 p.m. (Game 1)
NCAAFB – College Football – Week 4
Saturday
Ball State at Central Michigan, 1:00 p.m.
St. Francis (PA) at Eastern Michigan, 2:00 p.m.
(11) USC at (18) Michigan, 3:30 p.m. News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 2:30
Miami (OH) at (17) Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m.
Michigan State at Boston College, 8:00 p.m. Superhits 103.7 Cosy-FM 6:30
Western Michigan (bye week)
NCAAFB –USC to visit Michigan, a tip from Wolverines coach — get ready for Alex Orji
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore might have made a rookie mistake. When Moore was asked at his weekly news conference if Alex Orji would start for the 18th-ranked Wolverines, the first-year coach said the junior quarterback would take the first snap Saturday against No. 11 Southern California. Instead of forcing the Trojans to prepare for both of the Wolverines’ one-dimensional signal callers, Moore let everyone know on Monday that Orji was getting a shot after Davis Warren won the job and struggled with the opportunity. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Orji has thrown just seven passes in 12 games over three years.
NCAAFB –Notre Dame hoping to get 1st home win, avoid another MAC upset against Miami
No. 17 Notre Dame hopes to avoid another upset at the hands of a Mid-American Conference team when it hosts Miami (Ohio) on Saturday. The Fighting Irish suffered a shocking upset at the hands of Northern Illinois two weeks ago in their home opener. Could it happen again? The RedHawks are led by quarterback Brett Gabbert and are a heavy favorite to win their second straight league title. The Irish rebounded last week with a 66-7 rout at Purdue but must reshuffle the offensive line, which had two more starters injured in that game.
NCAAFB – Boston College hopes to sneak back into rankings with win over Michigan State
Boston College will face Michigan State on Saturday night on Saturday night in the 11th annual Red Bandanna Game. The game honors former BC lacrosse player Welles Crowther, who died while leading people to safety in the South Tower of the World Trade Center during the Sept. 11 attacks. The Eagles are 4-5 in the special event. With a victory, BC hopes to return to The Associated Press Top 25. Michigan State needs a victory to remain unbeaten heading into its matchup with No. 3 Ohio State.
NHL – Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M
The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million. The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal. Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019. Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022.
NHL – Taylor Hall hopes to boost Blackhawks in his return from knee surgery
Taylor Hall is back after missing most of his first season with the Chicago Blackhawks with a right knee injury. When the Blackhawks opened training camp with a scrimmage, Hall played on a line with Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi. Hall, who turns 33 in November, totaled two goals and two assists in a career-low 10 games in his first season with Chicago. If he can regain his previous form, he could provide a big lift for Chicago as it tries to turn a corner its rebuilding project. He likely will play on a wing on one of the team’s top two lines.
MCCAA – Michigan Community College Athletic Association
Last Night
Women’s Volleyball
Kalamazoo Valley Community College 3, Lake Michigan College 1
Southwestern Michigan College 3, Kellogg Community College 2
Today
Women’s Volleyball
Lake Michigan College at Parkland Community College Tournament (Champaign, IL)
Saturday
Women’s Volleyball
Lake Michigan College at Parkland Community College Tournament (Champaign, IL)
Women’s Soccer
Lake Michigan College at Jackson College, 1:00 p.m.
Men’s Soccer
Lake Michigan College at Jackson College, 3:00 p.m.
MHSAA – Michigan High School Athletic Association
Last Night
Boys Soccer
St. Joseph 3, Gull Lake 0
Lakeshore 1, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 1 – TIE
Mattawan 9, Battle Creek Lakeview 1
Portage Central 3, Portage Northern 0
Paw Paw 2, Kalamazoo Hackett 0
Plainwell 1, Zeeland West 0
Berrien Springs 3, New Buffalo 0
Buchanan 8, Coloma 1
Hartford 4, Jackson Christian 3
Girls Volleyball
Dowagiac 3, Benton Harbor 0
Niles 3, Otsego 2
Three Rivers 3, Edwardsburg 1
Plainwell 3, Sturgis 0
Vicksburg 3, Paw Paw 1
Berrien Springs 3, Coloma 2
Constantine 3, Martin 0
Lawton 3, Gobles 1
Delton-Kellogg 3, Parchment 0
Tonight
Football (all games at 7pm)
SMAC
St. Joseph (3-0) at Gull Lake (0-3) WSJM
Lakeshore (0-3) at Kalamazoo Central (2-1) WYTZ
Mattawan (1-2) at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (2-1)
Battle Creek Central (0-3) at Portage Central (1-2)
Battle Creek Lakeview (1-2) at Portage Northern (2-1)
Wolverine
Three Rivers (1-2) at Edwardsburg (2-1)
Otsego (0-3) at Niles (2-1)
Plainwell (0-3) at Sturgis (0-3)
Paw Paw (3-0) at Vicksburg (2-1)
SAC
South Haven (2-1) at Constantine (3-0)
Saugatuck (2-1) at Coloma (1-2)
Watervliet (1-2) at Parchment (2-1)
Allegan (2-1) at Kalamazoo United (2-1) @WMU
Delton-Kellogg (2-1) at Lawton (2-1)
Schoolcraft (2-1) at Galesburg-Augusta (2-1)
Lakeland
Benton Harbor (0-3) at Buchanan (1-2)
Brandywine (0-3) at Berrien Springs (1-2)
Southwest 10
Hartford (1-2) at Cassopolis (0-3)
Decatur (3-0) at White Pigeon (3-0)
Comstock (0-3) (bye)
Non-Conference
Dowagiac (2-1) at Marshall (1-2)
Centreville (1-2) at Mason County Central (2-1)
8-Man Football
SWMI 8-Man Conference
Adrian Lenawee Christian (1-2) at Twin Cities (2-1)
Red Arrow (1-2) at Marcellus (2-1)
Martin (2-0) at Eau Claire (1-2)
Bangor (0-3) at Gobles (3-0)
Fennville (0-3) at Grandville Calvin Christian (2-1)
GR Northpointe (2-1) at Wyoming-Lee (2-1)
Saturday
8-Man Football
Bridgman (1-2) at Indian River Inland Lakes (3-0), 1:00 p.m.
Boys Soccer
Our Lady of the Lake at Howardsville Chr., 10:00 a.m.
Brandywine at Michigan Lutheran, 10:00 a.m.
Bangor at Covert, 10:00 a.m.
Lawton at Watervliet, 10:00 a.m.
Portage Northern at Forest Hills Central, 11:45 a.m.
Portage Central at Hudsonville, 11:45 a.m.
Three Rivers at Coldwater, 11:00 a.m.
Plainwell at Marshall, 1:00 p.m.
Mason at Sturgis, 6:30 p.m.
Girls Volleyball
BC Lakeview, Buchanan, Niles, Otsego, Paw Paw, Sturgis, Vicksburg at Portage Northern, 8:30 a.m.
Lakeshore, Edwardsburg, Kalamazoo Central, Portage Central, Fruitport, Mattawan at Byron Center, 8:30 a.m.